SP140 and Hashimoto thyroiditis: Elevated SP140 expression was also found in other inflammatory conditions including in WBC of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis patients (Fig. 1b), and in inflamed tissues of appendicitis, sarcoidosis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Sjogren’s syndrome patients (Additional file 1: Fig. S1b).